In the case of plates of the aforementioned type the edge protection fulfils several functions. It is firstly intended to protect the edges against mechanical damage, while also protecting the user against injury. If the core plate is made from a wooden material, the open-pore cut edges of the core plate must be protected against dirtying and moisture access. Finally, the edge protection is intended to make it easier to grip the plate, while also facilitating the handling and transportation of a piece of furniture or kitchen appliance provided with the plate, e.g. a table, refrigerator, washing machine, spin or tumble dryer, etc. The extending of the edge protection beyond the underside of the plate, so that it is possible to engage below the latter also helps to fulfill the latter function. In the case of kitchen appliances, in which the cover plate mainly serves as a placing and working surface, the aim of the downwardly drawn edge protection is to cover the gap between the plate and the appliance casing. In addition, in this case, on the underside of the plate, are frequently provided functional parts, such as sleeves, clips, etc., made from plastic and by which the plate is fixed to the appliance casing. These functional parts are also concealed by the edge protection.
The edge protection comprises a mechanically adequately stable plastic, which is also resistant to more or less aggressive media and also to the weather. This plastic is placed in an injection mould, in which the prefabricated core plate with a cover layer on one or both sides is injection moulded onto the open-pore cut edges of the core plate, so that the plastic penetrates the pores and the edge protection is engaged with the core plate. The edge protection also engages at least over the top of the core plate, which leads to a firm, tight connection between the edge protection and the core plate. It is also known to produce the edge protection in a separate operation, e.g. by the injection moulding or extruding of a ledge-like profile or section and connecting it in a further operation by bonding to the core plate.
The known injection moulding of the edge protection onto the core plate has the advantage that the sought functions can be fulfilled in an inexpensive manner. However, it is disadvantageous that it is not subsequently possible to detach the edge protection. This problem also exists from environmental standpoints if the table or cover plate, optionally also the furniture protected by it is damaged or made valueless or unusable in some other way and must be sent for refuse disposal purposes or it is necessary for the manufacturer to take it back (such a responsibility already existing e.g. in the case of refrigerators), the manufacturer then having to dispose of and optionally reuse the same. It is then necessary to separate the materials, so that it is desirable in the case of cover or table plates to be able to separate entirely or at least to a major extent from the core plate the edge protection with its relatively high plastic proportion, which is also reusable.